news from ekklesia

By staff writers

January 29, 2004

Leader of business council attacks Christian Aid

-29/1/04

Dr Mohan Kaul, CEO of the Commonwealth Business Council, has criticised the conclusions of the Christian Aid report, "Behind the mask: the real face of corporate social responsibility," launched last week.

In the report Christian Aid said that the image of multinational companies working hard to make the world a better place was often just that - an image. They also called for new laws to make businesses responsible for protecting human rights and the environment wherever they work.

But in the Editorial of the Commonwealth Business Council newsletter to members, Dr Kaul condemned the report as a "bizarre attack on the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes operated by multinational companies as mere public relations".

Dr Kaul wrote: "A core element is the responsible approach of companies is Corporate Social responsibility. But it is a serious error on the part of NGOs to regard this as token philanthropy. CSR is nor an add-on, but an integral element of corporate strategy along with sales, production, financial control and the rest."

He added: "I hope this is not the precursor of a withdrawal by civil society from pursuing dialogue with Government and Business on adopting a joint approach to developmental, social and poverty issues."

The Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) was established by the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October 1997 to involve the private sector in the promotion of trade and investment.

Leader of business council attacks Christian Aid

-29/1/04

Dr Mohan Kaul, CEO of the Commonwealth Business Council, has criticised the conclusions of the Christian Aid report, "Behind the mask: the real face of corporate social responsibility," launched last week.

In the report Christian Aid said that the image of multinational companies working hard to make the world a better place was often just that - an image. They also called for new laws to make businesses responsible for protecting human rights and the environment wherever they work.

But in the Editorial of the Commonwealth Business Council newsletter to members, Dr Kaul condemned the report as a "bizarre attack on the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes operated by multinational companies as mere public relations".

Dr Kaul wrote: "A core element is the responsible approach of companies is Corporate Social responsibility. But it is a serious error on the part of NGOs to regard this as token philanthropy. CSR is nor an add-on, but an integral element of corporate strategy along with sales, production, financial control and the rest."

He added: "I hope this is not the precursor of a withdrawal by civil society from pursuing dialogue with Government and Business on adopting a joint approach to developmental, social and poverty issues."

The Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) was established by the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October 1997 to involve the private sector in the promotion of trade and investment.

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